The path of awakening is not about becoming who you are. Rather it is about unbecoming who you are not.

Reality is only a Rorschach ink-blot, you know.

When concentration is developed, wisdom arises. When wisdom arises, one becomes disenchanted with the five aggregates.

In my youth I studied, in my prime I practiced, now all my doubts are cleared.

Zazen is not step-by-step meditation. Rather it is simply the easy and pleasant practice of a Buddha, the realization of the Buddha's Wisdom.

The ultimate revolution is the spiritual revolution, where we learn to see reality as it truly is.

The Noble Eightfold Path is not a path of mere intellectual understanding but a path of practice, of inner transformation.

We don't set out to save the world; we set out to wonder how other people are doing and to reflect on how our actions affect other people's hearts.

The difference between buddhas and sentient beings is that buddhas recognize their nature while sentient beings fail to recognize it.

The person who clings to nothing of the past, present and future, who has no attachment and no aversion, has no conceptual imprints.

The path to liberation requires both understanding and practice, both pariyatti and patipatti.

In the moment of pure noting, there is no self - only the knowing and the known.

World peace must develop from inner peace. Peace is not just mere absence of violence. Peace is, I think, the manifestation of human compassion.

Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

The rising and falling of the abdomen is not the main object. The main object is to develop mindfulness, concentration, and insight.

When the heart is still, it can be kind. When the mind is still, it can see clearly.

The problem is not the problem; the problem is your attitude about the problem.

Though the view should be as vast as the sky, keep your conduct as fine as barley flour.

Zen does not confuse spirituality with thinking about God while one is peeling potatoes. Zen spirituality is just to peel the potatoes.

The yogi's joy is in the solitude of mountains, where all distractions naturally dissolve into emptiness.

Should you desire the great tranquility, prepare to sweat white beads.

The superior person is like water, bringing benefit to all without competing.

Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. It actually takes guts.

Meditation is like a gym in which you develop the powerful mental muscles of calm and insight.

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.

All experiences are preceded by mind, led by mind, made by mind. Speak or act with a corrupted mind, and suffering follows as the wagon wheel follows the hoof of the ox.

True happiness is born of letting go of what is unnecessary.

Mindfulness is being aware of what is happening right now, without wishing it were different.

Looking for peace is like looking for a turtle with a mustache: you won't be able to find it. But when your heart is ready, peace will come looking for you.

Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively.

Real peace comes from seeing things as they really are, not as we want them to be.

Since all things are empty of inherent existence, anything is possible. If things had inherent existence, nothing would be possible.

The difference between being caught in thoughts and being mindful of thoughts is like the difference between being in a movie and watching a movie.